Lonely Planet China
Page 173
Gānsù Provincial MuseumMUSEUM
(甘肃省博物馆; Gānsù Shěng Bówùguǎn %0931 233 9131; www.gansumuseum.com; 3 Xijin Xilu; 西津西路3号 h9am-5pm Tue-Sun)F
This museum has an intriguing collection of Silk Road artefacts with English descriptions, including inscribed Han dynasty wooden tablets used to relay messages along the Silk Road, and dinosaur skeletons.
The graceful Eastern Han (25 BC–AD 220) bronze horse galloping upon the back of a swallow is known as the 'Flying Horse of Wǔwēi'. Unearthed at Léitái near Wǔwēi, it has been proudly reproduced across northwestern China. Bring your passport for admission.
Take bus 1 (¥1, 40 mins) here from Lánzhōu train station.
White Cloud TempleTAOIST TEMPLE
(白云观; Báiyún Guān MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Binhe Zhonglu; 宾河中路 ¥10; h7am-6.30pm)
Founded in the 8th century, this largely rebuilt Taoist temple features five halls and was among the most important Quanzhen-order temples during the Qing dynasty.
WORTH A TRIP
THE BUDDHA CAVES OF BǐNGLíNG Sì
Bǐnglíng SìCAVE, BUDDHIST
(炳灵寺 %0930 887 9057; ¥50; h8am-6pm, closed Dec-Mar)
With its relative inaccessibility, Bǐnglíng Sì is one of the few Buddhist grottoes in China to have survived the tumultuous 20th century unscathed. Which is a good thing, as during a period spanning 1600 years, sculptors dangling from ropes carved 183 niches and sculptures into the porous rock of steep canyon walls. The cave art can’t compare to Dūnhuáng, but the setting, few tourists and the remarkable terraced landscapes you pass getting here make Bǐnglíng Sì unmissable.
Today the cliffs are isolated by the waters of the Liújiāxiá Reservoir (劉家峽水庫; Liújiāxiá Shuǐkù) on the Yellow River and hemmed in by a ring of dramatic rock citadels.
The star is the 27m-high seated statue of Maitreya, the future Buddha, but some of the smaller, sway-hipped Bodhisattvas and guardians, bearing an obvious Indian influence, are equally exquisite.
As you loop around past the Maitreya cave, consider hiking 2.5km further up the impressive canyon to a small Tibetan monastery. There might also be 4WDs running the route.
You can visit Bǐnglíng Sì as a day trip from Lánzhōu or en route to Xiàhé via Línxià. Take a boat or taxi from the town of Liújiāxiá. Frequent buses from Lánzhōu’s west bus station (¥20, 2½ hours) run to Liújiāxiá bus station. From there, you will need to take a 10-minute taxi (¥6) to the boat ticket office at the dam (大坝; dàbà). Try to catch the earliest buses possible from Lánzhōu (starting at 7am) to avoid getting stuck on the way back. The last return bus to Lánzhōu leaves at 6.30pm.
A covered speedboat (seating nine people) costs ¥700 for the one-hour journey. The boat ticket office will refuse to make the trip unless the boat is full, so independent travellers may have to wait for a small group to form; expect to pay around ¥150 per person in this case. In summer, you should have no trouble finding a seat, but in shoulder season, you may find yourself stranded.
Surprisingly, the much more scenic route to the caves is by hiring a private car (¥250 return). Out of Liújiāxiá, the road runs high into the rugged hills above the reservoir, and for 90 minutes you will twist and turn, dip and rise through a wonderland of corn-growing terraces laddering and layering every slope, mound, outcrop and ravine. The final descent to the green-blue reservoir, with its craggy backdrop, is sublime. Driver touts ply the bus station in Liújiāxiá; bargain hard for a good deal.
If heading to Línxià after the grottoes, there are frequent buses (¥21, three hours) from the station at Liújiāxiá.
You can also opt to stay overnight in Liújiāxiá for a less rushed experience. The Dorsett Hotel (临夏刘家峡帝豪大酒店; Línxià Liújiāxiá Dìháo Dà Jiǔdiàn 169 Huanghe Lu, Liújiāxiá; 黃河路169號, 劉家峽 tw/d ¥233/250; aiW) at the north end of town is a good option with huge rooms overlooking the Yellow River.
4Sleeping
Lánzhōu can be a frustrating place to book accommodation, especially if you're travelling on a budget. Many budget hostels and midrange places are off limits to foreigners, including some nationwide chains. Often, places billed as hostels are actually private apartments that have been fitted out with bunk beds. There is a useful branch of Jǐnjiāng Inn (锦江之星; Jǐnjiāng Zhīxīng) on Tianshui Nanlu if you get stuck.
JI HotelHOTEL$$
(全季酒店兰州天水南路店; Quánjì Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 889 4999; 161 Tianshui Nanlu; 天水南路161号 tw/d ¥408/417; aiW)
Bright and clean business hotel with Ikea-style furnishings and soft beds. Enjoys a handy location a five-minute walk from the train station.
JJ Sun HotelHOTEL$$$
(锦江阳光酒店; Jǐnjiāng Yángguāng Jiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 880 5511; 589 Donggang Xilu; 东岗西路589号 tw/d ¥459/590; ai)
This four-star choice has well groomed, spacious and affordable rooms. There’s a pleasant wood-panelled restaurant on the 2nd floor. It has a handy location across from the airport shuttle bus stop. Discounts of 40% are usual.
PRICE RANGES
SLEEPING
Price indicators are used for Gānsù are for a double room.
$ less than ¥150
$$ ¥150 to ¥500
$$$ more than ¥500
EATING
Price indicators are used for Gānsù are per meal.
$ less than ¥30
$$ ¥30 to ¥80
$$$ more than ¥80
5Eating
Lánzhōu is famous for its niúròu lāmiàn (牛肉拉面), beef soup with hand-pulled noodles and a spicy topping. There are plenty of places to try the dish, including on Huochezhan Xilu (left as you exit the train station) and Dazhong Xiang near the Zhōngshān Bridge. These streets are also lined with restaurants serving dumplings and noodle dishes. Most have picture menus.
oMǎzilù Beef NoodlesNOODLES$
(马子禄牛肉面; Mǎzilù Niúròu Miàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 845 0505; 86 Dazhong Xiang; 大众巷86号 noodles ¥7; h6.30am-2.30pm)
In business since 1954, this place has locals flocking here for steaming bowls of the city's most well known export: spicy hand-pulled noodles (拉面; lāmiàn). Join the queue inside the door and ask for niúròu miàn (牛肉面). You'll be given a ticket, which you take to the kitchen counter where chefs will prepare your noodles fresh. Grab chopsticks from machines at the ticket counter.
Go early, as noodles are traditionally a breakfast food in Lánzhōu.
Zhengning Lu Night MarketMARKET$
(正宁路小吃夜市; Zhèngníng Lù Xiǎochī Yèshì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Zhengning Lu; 正宁路 lamb sticks ¥1)
One of Lánzhōu's best night markets, this small pedestrian street is lined with vendors on both sides cooking up all manner of Silk Road delights. The mix of Hui, Han and Uighur stalls offer everything from goat’s head soup to steamed snails, ròujiābǐng (肉夹饼; mutton served inside a ‘pocket’ of flat bread), lamb dishes seasoned with cumin, dàpán jī (大盘鸡; large plate of spicy chicken, noodles and potatoes), dumplings, spare-rib noodles and more.
NéngrénjùHOTPOT$$
(能仁聚 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 216 Tianshui Nanlu; 天水南路216号 hotpot from ¥35; h11am-10pm)
At this Běijīng-style shùan yángròu (涮羊肉; traditional lamb hotpot) restaurant, the pot of broth costs ¥25, after which you can add sliced mutton (¥30), greens (¥10) and various other dishes. The restaurant is about 100m past the intersection with Minzhu Lu.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Much of Lánzhōu's nightlife is centred on its night markets, which heave with people especially at weekends. Vendors ply the markets with bottles of the local beer and spirits.
Several permanently docked 'beer boats' line the banks of the Yellow River near Zhōngshān Bridge. These open-air boats are pleasant places to while away an afternoon or evening supping on a Huang He beer on its eponymous river.
Sunny CoffeeCOFFEE,
BAR
(桑昵的咖啡; Sāngnìde Kāfēi MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Dazhong Xiang; 大众巷 coffee ¥26, beer ¥45; h11am-10pm; W)
This cafe-bar serves coffees, juices and imported Belgian beers, and has free wi-fi. The live-in kitty is very friendly.
8Information
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 525 Tianshui Nanlu; 天水南路525号 h9am-5pm)
Has a 24-hour ATM.
China PostPOST
(中国邮政; Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; 381 Huochezhan Donglu; 火车站东路381号 h9am-5pm)
Look for the green China Post sign to your right as you exit the train station.
ICBCBANK
(工商银行; Gōngshāng Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 475 Dingxi Nanlu; 定西南路475号 )
Twenty-four-hour ATM
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB; 公安局; Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 871 8610; 482 Wudu Lu; h8.30-11.30am & 2.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri)
Western Travel AgencyTRAVEL AGENCY
(西部旅行社; Xībù Lǚxíngshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 882 0529; 486 Donggang Xilu; h8am-6pm)
On the 2nd floor of the west wing of Lánzhōu Fàndiàn. Offers tours around Lánzhōu (as far south as Xiàhé) and ticket bookings.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Lánzhōu Zhōngchuān Airport has flights to Běijīng (¥1460), Dūnhuáng (¥1466), Jiāyùguān (¥1576), Kūnmíng (¥1902), Shànghǎi (¥1750) and Xī’ān (¥480).
Gānsù Airport Booking Office (甘肃机场集团售票中心; Gānsù Jīchǎng Jítuán Shòupiào Zhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 888 9666; 616 Donggang Xilu; 东岗西路616号 h9am-6pm) Can book all air tickets at discounted prices.
Bus
Lánzhōu has several bus stations, all with departures for Xīníng. The main long-distance bus station (兰州汽车站; Lánzhōu Qìchē Zhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 129 Pingliang Lu; 平凉路129号 ) is just a ticket office, outside which you catch a shuttle bus 30 minutes before departure for the east bus station (汽车东站; Qìchē Dōngzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0931 841 8411; 276 Pingliang Lu; 平凉路276号 ). Most bus journeys back into Lánzhōu end up at the east bus station; if you want to rough it on a sleeper to Zhāngyè or Jiāyùguān, buy a ticket directly at that station.
Journeys to and from the south of Gānsù, including to Xiàhé, go through the south bus station (汽车南站; qìchē nánzhàn). A taxi to the train station costs ¥45 and takes 45 minutes, or take bus 111 (¥1).
Services from the main long-distance bus station:
APíngliáng ¥125, five hours, hourly (7am to 6pm)
ATiānshuǐ ¥84, four hours, every 30 minutes (7am to 6pm)
AXīníng ¥59, three hours, every 30 minutes (7.10am to 8.10pm)
AYínchuān ¥124, six hours, seven per day (7am to 8pm)
The following services depart from the south bus station. Frustratingly tickets can only be purchased there, though can be bought just before departure:
AHézuò ¥74, four hours, every 25 minutes (7am to 4.30pm)
ALínxià ¥39, three hours, every 30 minutes (7am to 7.30pm)
AXiàhé ¥75, four hours, five daily (7.30am, 8.30am, 9.30am, 2pm, 3pm)
Note: there is no direct bus from Lánzhōu to Lángmùsì. Go to Hézuò and change.
The west bus station (汽车西站; qìchē xīzhàn) has frequent departures to Liújiāxiá (¥19.50, 2½ hours, 7am to 6pm), useful if you are heading to Bǐnglíng Sì.
Hidden off Tianshui Nanlu, the Tiānshuǐ bus station (天水汽车站; Tiānshuǐ Qìchēzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Tianshui Nanlu; 天水南路 ) has buses for eastern Gānsù, including Luòmén (¥55, four hours, hourly). To find the station, look for a large WC sign and turn right into the narrow alley.
Train
Lánzhōu is the major rail link for trains heading to and from western China. The city has two train stations: the centrally located Lánzhōu station (兰州火车站; Lánzhōu huǒchē zhàn) and Lánzhōu west railway station (兰州火车西站; Lánzhōu huǒchē xīzhàn). Both stations serve the Lánzhōu–Xīnjiāng high-speed rail line and airport trains, though the most frequent departures go from Lánzhōu Station.
In high season buy your onward tickets at least a couple of days in advance to guarantee a sleeper berth. For Dūnhuáng, double-check whether you are getting a train to the town itself or Liǔyuán, which is 180km away.
From Lánzhōu Station, there are frequent trains to the following:
ADūnhuáng Hard/soft sleeper ¥276/430, 13 to 15 hours, two daily direct to Dūnhuáng at 5.25pm and 5.50pm; the rest go to Liǔyuán
AJiāyùguān 1st/2nd-class seat ¥215/258, four hours; hard/soft sleeper ¥193/297, seven to 10 hours
AÜrümqi Hard/soft sleeper ¥418/659, 19 to 24 hours
AWǔwēi Hard/soft seat ¥47/72, 3½ hours
AXī’ān Hard/soft sleeper ¥184/283, eight to nine hours
AZhāngyè 1st/2nd-class seat ¥180/150, three hours
AZhōngwèi Seat/soft sleeper ¥47/159, five to six hours
From Lánzhōu West Railway Station, there are trains to the following:
AJiāyùguān South 1st/2nd-class seat ¥258/215, 4½ hours
AÜrümqi South 1st/2nd-class seat ¥658/549, 11½ hours
AXīníng 1st/2nd-class seat ¥70/58, one to 1½ hours
AZhāngyè West 1st/2nd-class seat ¥180/150, 2½ to 3½ hours
8Getting Around
Lánzhōu Zhōngchuān Airport is 70km north of the city. Airport shuttle buses (¥30, one hour) leave hourly from 5.30am to 7pm in front of the Gānsù Airport Booking Office on Donggang Xilu, near the JJ Sun Hotel. A taxi costs around ¥150.
A high-speed intercity rail line opened in 2015 connecting the airport with Lánzhōu's main railway station (40 to 50 minutes, ¥21.50 to ¥26) and Lánzhōu west railway station (30 to 40 minutes, ¥18.50 to ¥22), where you can get high-speed rail connections to Zhāngyè and Jiāyùguān.
Public buses cost ¥1; taxis are ¥7 for the first 3km. There is no bus from the train station to the south bus station, so you are better off taking a taxi for ¥35 for 45 minutes.
A cable car runs from the Yellow River Cable Car Station (黄河索道; Huánghé Suǒdào MAP GOOGLE MAP ; down/up/return adult ¥25/35/45, child ¥10/15/20; g34) to the Upper Cable Car Station (黄河索道上站; Huánghé Suǒdào Shàngzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ) for easy access to White Pagoda Temple (link).
Useful Bus Routes
ABuses 1 and 6 From the train station to the west bus station via Xiguan Shizi.
ABus 111 From Zhongshan Lu (at the Xiguan Shizi stop; 去汽车南站的111路公交车) to the south bus station.
ABuses 7 and 10 From the train station up the length of Tianshui Nanlu before heading west and east, respectively.
Southern Gānsù
Mountainous and largely verdant, the southern part of Gānsù is a sight to behold. The Tibetan-inhabited areas around Xiàhé and Lángmùsì are the principal enticements here – perfect stopovers for overlanders heading to or from Sìchuān or destinations in their own right. Southwest of Lánzhōu, the inspiring vistas of the Yellow River and the Buddhist grottoes of Bǐnglíng Sì, carved out of dusty desert cliffs, remain some of the best-kept secrets in the country.
8Getting There & Away
Southern Gānsù is not served by train, so transport radiates south from Lánzhōu by bus. The most popular destinations are generally within two to four hours of the capital, and the ever-expanding road network in the area means that connections are easy to come by.
Xiàhé 夏河
%0941 / Pop 80,000
The alluring monastic town of Xiàhé (夏河) attracts an astonishing band of visitors: backpack-laden students, insatiable wanderers, shaven-headed Buddhist nuns, Tibetan pilgrims in their most colourful finery, camera-toting tour groups and dusty, itinerant beggars. Most visitors are rural Tibetans, whose purpose is to pray, prostrate themselves and seek spiritual fulfilment at holy Labrang
Monastery, around which Xiàhé has grown up.
In an arid mountain valley at 2920m above sea level, Xiàhé has a certain rhythm about it and visitors quickly tap into its fluid motions. The rising sun sends pilgrims out to circle the 3km kora (pilgrim path) that rings the monastery. Crimson-clad monks shuffle into the temples to chant morning prayers. It’s easy to get swept up in the action, but some of the best moments come as you set your own pace, wandering about town or in the splendid encircling mountains.
Xiàhé
1Top Sights
1Labrang MonasteryB1
1Sights
2BarkhangB1
3Gòngtáng PagodaA2
4Hall of HayagrivaB2
5Hermitage RuinsA1
6Ngakpa GompaA1
7NunneryA1
8Thangka Display TerraceA2
4Sleeping
9Labrang Baoma HotelC1
10Labrang Red Rock International HostelC2
11Nirvana HotelC2
12Overseas Tibetan HotelC1
13Tara GuesthouseC2
5Eating
Nirvana Restaurant & BarC2
Snowy Mountain CafeC1
Tara RestaurantC2
6Drinking & Nightlife
14Norden CafeC2
1Sights
Xiàhé stretches northeast to southwest in a narrow valley along the eponymous Xià River (Xià Hé; 夏河). Labrang Monastery marks the division between Xiàhé’s mainly Han Chinese and Hui Muslim eastern quarter (where you'll find the bus station and a swath of Han-style shops and restaurants) and the older, low-rise Tibetan village to the west.